Well, Well, Well... I simply have no excuse. 2013 regurge.

One of my friends from high school was talking about standing in the shower and thinking of all the things that had gone on in the past year.  She said "OH CRAP, I better start writing some of this shit down!." That got me thinking. I have blog, and have had one for nearly ten years.  Yes Dear Reader, if you are reading this now, I have had this for ten years this coming September.  I remember I started it because I wanted to talk shit and be able to remember all the adorable things that my children do/did.  
     Everyone has the best of intentions with their first child. They go whole hog, scrap booking and keeping memories.  Then the second one comes and, not so much.
     So, in the spirit of continuity, I will do a regurge.  It's been a long time since I have done one.  now I have to go get my phone and get some pictures of of it to post.  I know I don't have to say that I will be right back, because you don't actually know I am gone, but I will say it anyway, just to be contrary.  
 Be right back.

That took a while.  Not that you know that, but it did.  I got a case of what I like to call "Cindy Smedley Sidetracked" I was making photo collages, because too much happened this year, so I had to consolidate space.  

Of course I like to take silly pictures with the kids.  We all know this.  It's a fact.

Also, I am huge on costumes.  I made Ayman an Obi-Wan Kenobi costume for Halloween a couple years ago.  We got to use it again for Star Wars Night at the Stockton Thunder.  So much fun.  I also made Jennah a bad ass Princess Leia costume, because sewing your own damn costumes is a lost art and also, BECAUSE I CAN.  For Halloween, which is the picture on the right, Ayman was Jack Sparrow, and Jennah was a Pirate Wench.  My mom totally scored a great pirate costume with hat; it was a little small so some modification was in order.  Also, I made him a wig bandanna combo from a cheapie mask my mom had in her costume trunk.  We topped it of with a pirate beard and make up and BOOYAH, Mommy rulez!  Jennah and I had a great time thrift store shopping for her costume bits.  That girl can shop.

We also had a year of fake moustaches and broken right arms.  

So, Ayman broke his arm in August.  He fell off his bike because he hit a curb, because of his desire to be FIRST at all times.  I hope he took something away from that experience.  Jennah broke her arm in early January, (I know it is in 2014, but I am lumping it with 2013 for posterity)  Let me tell you how, dear reader, since this is for you too.  Ayman and Jennah call our bedroom "The Training Room".  It has a big Cal King bed, and the kids wrestle with each other.  Roughly.  They have just always done it.  This time, big brother accidentally stepped on Sissy's arm.  You know how when your kids cry, you can tell from the tone if something is really wrong?  Well, I heard Jennah make a noise of pain. Then she said, "I'm not gonna cry, I'm not gonna cry.... " It was at that point I threw my laptop on the floor and hauled ass back into the bedroom to see why she wouldn't be crying.  Due to a policy I have called "If One of You Ends Up Crying You're Both in Trouble" they didn't want to tell me a thing.  I waived my normal policy on that night.  Ayman was torn up- he was sad he hurt his sister, and terrified he would be in trouble.  Jennah was cradling her arm and doing what can be best described as Lamaze breathing.  I took her to the urgent care, it was xrayed and splinted, and we went out to the county for a cast the next day.  What a difference, let me tell ya.  Ayman was damn stoic about his broken arm.  He wept silently.  Jennah, not so much.  Ayman had tylenol with codeine the night of the break.  Jennah was asking for pain meds three days later.  She really is her mother's daughter, just as Ayman is his father's son.  Genetics are fun, huh?

The above picture is just so cute.  I picked the kids up from school in December and decided to take them to Panera for some hot chocolate, a cookie and some conversation.  They're adorable.  I am not biased at all.  

     So that is about as many pics as I will post, Ayman turned 10 last year and is in the fourth grade.  His teacher is Ms. Wendt.  He loves to read.  In about August, he started reading the Harry Potter books.  By the end of the year he was pretty much done with them.  Now he is reading The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.  We went to his teacher conference and he has read, get this, 600k words since the beginning of the school year.  He loves to read so very much.  It warms the cockles of my cold, dark heart. Jennah turned 8 last March.  She is in the second grade, and her teacher is the same second grade teacher Ayman had: Mrs. Ellis.  Jennah's reading is coming along wonderfully. Jennah's big thing is art.  She loves drawing pictures, making jewelry and just about anything that exercises her creativity.  She is a thoughtful and sweet young lady.  I am so proud of the both of them.

     On a personal non-child related note, since September I have lost 48 pounds.  Amr and I joined the gym and I have been going regularly. Between my mom, dad, brother and I we have lost about 250 lbs.  My brother has lost a whopping 100lbs!  It's really awesome. Amr and I celebrated our 13 year anniversary at the end of July.  Time does fly!

Also, if you are just joining us, I do not try to pretend that I am a professional writer.  So please, if you feel the need to grammar/punctuation nazi me, don't. I just don't care.
   
There is the regurge.  Hope you enjoyed it.  I would promise to do better, but I am sure that I won't.

Stockton Thunder

My friend Miki has a batch of tickets for Stockton Thunder hockey games.  She didnt want to go tonight so she gave me her tickets.  Amr had a study group so the kids and I took in the game.


We had a blast.

Woo Hoo! video of a race, starring Ayman and Jennah

Family Yosemite trip, 2010

self portrait.

Amr and Jennah at El Capitan

Jennah and Ayman, Yosemite Falls

Family Nasr, Yosemite Valley

Picnic time.

So the whole family took a day trip to Yosemite National Park. We had a very nice day. The Tour, not so much. Can I just say the driver sucked? He got me all psyched in the beginning, bragging about how he knows so much about Yosemite, so I thought it would be super informative...it wasn't. So we got bored. Seriously, you don't want to bore my brother. This sort of thing ends up happening:

You have been warned.

Sleepover, Wooo HOOOO!

The pictures run backwards, But Ayman and Jennah had their first sleep over on Friday the 19th. Lilyith, one of Ayman's kindergarten classmates stayed over. It was her first sleep over too. They had a blast, and I took plenty of pictures for her mom to see. The awesome thing is that Lilyith gets along great with Jennah too- she has little sisters so she is just wonderful with her. I would totally do this again. So, if you want, scroll down to the bottom and work your way up. Thanks for reading.

The above picture is Jennah (right) and Lilyith, PASSED OUT. I mean it was only 11:30! Lightweights.

Ayman was not happy about having to sleep all by himself, but dammit, RULES ARE RULES.

Lilyith and Jennah at bedtime. Observe the awesome murals that Ayman and Jennah made on the walls. I was going to wash them off, but I think they compliment the room. NOT.

MMMMMM, Popcooooooorrrrrn

Jiffy Pop is old school but way cool. I remember when I used to stay the night at my Uncle's house. His wife at the time would have my brother, and cousin and I make Jiffy Pop. it always seemed like it took forever to get going and I remember my arm would hurt from shaking it, so we all took turns. I brought that to the table for these kiddies. It was a raging success, if I do say so myself. (and of course, I do.)

For dinner the menu consisted of Chicken rings and seasoned crinkle fries. What part of the chicken do you suppose the "ring" comes from, anyhow?

The kids playing dress up. Ayman is wearing a cape I made for him in ought six, for Halloween. he was Dracula. In this instance he was a ghost, and a wizard. Wonder where he got that, Dad? *coughHarryPottercough*

When we got home after school the kids were sent out to play. It was a beautiful almost spring day and the back yard is so....dare i say, verdant? Right now. They figured out a way for all of them to ride the Barbie Jeep (thanks, Grandma!) It wasn't dangerous at all. Look out Mother of the Year Award, i am owning you! LOL.

Hope you enjoyed that backwards pictorial journey.... Coming soon, the lovely conditions of my probation for the RCB, or "Why You Should Never Ever Be An Ass When You Are Younger And Have a Record to Prove It."

Umm, Six month regurge, sorry folks. Time flies.

Okay so yeah, i have been a terrible blogger. Real quick before i go in to all these pictures let me update you on me. I took my CRT exam and passed with flying colors and am now Cassandra Smedley-Nasr, CRT. Yay me! I also went to my 20 year class reunion in August and it was a wonderful time, however i forgot my camera so no pics. Like you care, right? So that is it for me. Lets talk about the above pic, this whole post goes backwards chronologically and i havent got the patience to change it so forgive me.

Above Pic is from my adorable niece, Emilias first birthday. She loves her auntie.

Here is the birthday girl with her adoring cousin fan club.

Thend result of jennahs very first haircut. She was so excited. She wanted to look like her friend Rana. It looks so cute. I gotta say i teared up when I took her for this cut. Yes, i save the hair.

During her haircut. She sat still very good for it.

Jennah before her first big girl haircut. I did this on the second day of school when i decided that i no longer had the patience to brush out all that hair.

Ayman, Mommy and Jennah on the first day of school. Jennah is in preschool and Ayman is in kindergarten.

Jennah was so ecited to go to school, and her class starts 55 minutes after Aymans. She thought i was taking her home, and lost it. Then when we got to the preschool she was all smiles again. Drama Queen.

Here is Jennah and Ayman on the ginormous slide at the county fair. they loved that thing.

Ayman took a trip to the train museum in Sacramento with Uncle Jim, Aunt Cindy, Jacob and Adam. He could not have been more excited, let me tell ya.

Ok her is a bit of silliness. This is 4th of July at my mom and Dads. this guy next to me is Jacob, my cousin. We were all amazed at how much we look like each other, and commented that if you put a goatee on me, we would be twins. well, scroll down.

Jake did a darn fine job photoshoping that goatee on me. LOOK WE'RE TWINS!

Jennah and her Daddy at 4th of July BBQ at gramma and grampas.

Woo Hoo! Sparklers! Ayman loved this, and.....

So did Jennah.

So we went to Mickey Grove, and they had these lorakeets. One Crapped on me, then another one bit me. Freaking birds.

this picture is at Pixie woods, in june Jennah looked so pretty in these hydrangeas. She was all "Look Mom the flowers are beautiful!!!!"

Jennah and Ayman in front of the little train at Pixie Woods. This was a big hit. Helpful himt, dont sit in the first car behind the engine. I had a headache from the deisel fumes. bleh!

Cute face, there, Ayman. Pixie Woods. It was a good day.

McDonalds Picnic before going to Pixie Woods. Grampa and Ayman were yackin' it up.

Millie, Uncle Alex and Ayman at Aymans preschool graduation.

Ayman getting his preschool completion ceritificate from Ms. Sonia. Sonia is now Jennahs preschool teacher.

Millie and her pretty Grandma at Aymans graduation.

The happy familia de Nasr at Aymans graduation, June 3, 2009

Jennah looking like a diva in Gammas sunglasses, at graduation.

This is Cameron, Ayman and Rami getting ready to graduate.

Three month regurge, Part Deux

Jennah turned three on the 18th of March,we had her birthday at Grandma and Grandpas house, and it was a princessy good time.-3.22.09Jennah let her brother help her open presents, she is a super good sharer. It is possible that this trait will develop in to a trait of mine: oversharing.


Seriously? Would you look at this cake? Totally cute, and Grandma and Grandpa bought it for her. By the way, we saved all the accoutrements for Tiny Baby's birthday.

Ayman ust looked over my shoulder as I was captioning this stuff. He said "Hey! Why am I wearing that on my head?" Why indeed, Ayman? Why indeed. He is learning alot. he can actually identify a the 'pupa' stage of a ladybug life cycle. (the eggs, larvae and adult too!)

I just thought this was a cute picture of Jennah at the playground near Ayman's school.

My Mom and Dad are having a swimming pool installed in their backyard right now, (Yay!) It should be done just in time for summer. They needed some help hauling dirt, and landscaping so they called on Amr. He brought the kids with them and they had the added bonus of child labor as well. They work for fruit snacks and chocolate milk. How cute is Jennah with this farmer look?

Both children were a big help, and worked very hard. And, yes people, we sunblocked them to the bejeebus.

Then came Easter- We went to Alex and Renee's house to rock out with cousin Millie and find some easter eggs.

And, of couse Jennah looked adorable, and found some eggs.

So Jennah found some scarves in my closet, and came to me and said "Make me look like Tetah Lilah" so I did, and she was totally thrilled.

Gramma bought Jennah a Barbie jeep from Craigslist (killer not included!). Jennah always lets Ayman drive it, and he is an excellent driver. (400 Oak Street)

I took Ayman and Jennah to see a vintage locomotive at the train station in Stockton. It is locomotive no. 844, and has been on Union Pacific's roster since 1944. It is based out of Wyoming, and was on its way to Roseville. The children found the train to be loud, and it scared them. I barely got them to stand next to each other really far on the platform so I could take this pic. 4.22.09

I got Ayman to stand on the front of the engine. I took the picture. Then a regular train passed about 20 feet from us, and he and Jennah fell apart. It was the first of several meltdowns that the both of them had that day. In trying to take Ayman to see the trains he loves, I think I may have traumatized him. That night, he asked me not to take him to see "the scary trains" again. then he woke up twice with nightmares. However, he has totally been talking about the train since then, and now he watches videos of the same train on Youtube. Speaking of youtube, check out this 13 second video of the children freaking out. I was trying to take video of the burst of flame on the underworkings of the train. The noise got a little louder and I turned around to find...Well, you'll see.

So that is it, sorry I got lame, I cannot guarantee regular postings but I will keep you up to date.

Ciao for now.